Recent advancements in hydrocarbon recovery techniques have enabled the production of hydrocarbons from reservoirs that could not be produced economically without the use of such techniques. In particular, hydraulic fracturing (or “fracking”) involves the injection of a high-pressure fluid (primarily water, proppants, and other job-specific compounds) to fracture a portion of a hydrocarbon-containing formation such that the desired hydrocarbons may be more easily recovered. Typically, multiple zones of a formation are independently isolated and fractured.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,535,604 (the '604 patent) is hereby incorporated by reference, in its entirety, for all purposes, and is made a part of the present disclosure. The '604 patent discloses a powder metal compact and method of making the compact that can serve as a base material or body for making a tool or component, such as a fracturing ball, according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In particular, the powder metal compact may be prepared into a metal fracturing body, such as a ball, that may then be treated to make an improved hydraulic fracturing ball according to embodiments of the present disclosure.